Bar Cart Goals: Thrift, DIY, Style Your Dream Bar Cart

As many of you know, I moved apartments three (3) times in 2017. It was as terrible as it sounds and I've never wished I could embrace minimalism more. But, alas, I have three bins and a box of shoes and they all bring me joy, so I dismissed that idea long ago and embraced long moving days and stuffed closets. In this last move that occurred in August, the most important thing on my mind was creating the most beautiful bar cart that has ever graced this Earth.

A tall order, but I was up to the challenge. Now, my bar cart stands proudly in the corner dressed to the nines and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Keep reading for a few hacks and things to avoid along the way!

1. Pick your cart. The price range of carts range wildly on the internet, so a few things to keep in mind:

Do not limit your search to "bar cart." Also Google things like "kitchen cart" and "utility cart" or even "wheeled cart." Some of these will be less stylish, but never underestimate the power of a coat of metallic spray paint.

2. Find your glassware at Salvation Army, Goodwill, or any other thrift store.

I found all of my wine glasses, champagne glasses (which tragically broke ... R.I.P.), and cocktail glasses at a Salvation Army. You have to hunt a bit and maybe hit a few, but you can find great stuff at places like this. Just give them a good scrub in a vinegar and water bath!

Consider doing a mis-matched look. I love the idea of choosing many different kinds of beautiful glasses and creating a more eclectic cart. I opted for a more organized collection, but it depends on your space.

3. Decanters, decanters, decanters!

The real polishing feature of any bar cart is NOT your Tito's fifth. I highly recommend picking up a few decanters and transferring your liquor into these much more attractive vessels. I got very lucky and found two stunning decanters at my local Salvation Army, but they are also easy to find online!

4. Add Decor: Cocktail books, string lights, trays

An important part of showing off a beautiful bar cart in your home is actually knowing how to make a good cocktail. I know, crazy right. Luckily, there are hundreds of cute cocktail how-to's on the market, so you need only select one or two and display them on your cart!

I always have Cocktails for Ding Dongs displayed on mine. The cute illustrations drew me to it and the measurements have never steered me wrong.

I wrapped clear string lights from Ikea around my bar cart around Christmas time and we loved the look so much we never took them off.

Do you still remember the goals you set for yourself in January? If not, here is the perfect opportunity to set new ones, and if you do, let’s do a check-in and see where we could improve! There are definitely some things I’ll be changing to accomplish my 2019 goals.